Blehlind E Hor

For the second time in as many years, I've lost a gaming buddy.

Sad News

It is with a heavy heart that I am making this post.

Cycling Through

As I have mentioned before, I currently have (7*) different MMOs that I currently play.  Although, I suppose that might kind of depend on your definition of 'currently'...

Mordor

"Mordor. The one place in Middle-earth we don't want to see any closer, and the one place we're trying to get to. It's just where we can't get." -Samwise Gamgee

Except, in LotRO at least, that soon won't be the case.

MORIA!

With apologies to "Them"*:

LotRO's 10th Anniversary Scavenger Hunt

This year marks the 10th Anniversary of LotRO (you know, SSG's [formerly "Turbine's"] "other" MMORPG).  Apparently, there are supposed to be a few things being done in-game and out-of-game to celebrate.  Once such in-game thing is the Anniversary Scavenger Hunt.  The concept is quite brilliant; the implementation...not so much.

Team Solo?

For those of you in a "Star Wars" frame-of-mind, the title of this post has nothing to do with Han (or any of his family).

Festivals

This time of year, more than any other, I think, MMOs love to hold some type of 'winter' festival.  Many, at least the ones I play, give out free stuff and/or let you earn certain items not usually available by running certain content.  This presents a dilemma...

LotRO Announces the End of the Players' Council

According to this post, LotRO will apparently not be renewing their Players' Council (PC) program.  Or I suppose more correctly, "Players' Counlcils" as they have two (one is dedicated to PvMP - "Player vs. Monster-Player", LotRO's version of PvP).

I've Got to Leave Ol' Goblin-Town

Goblin-town.  If you've seen "The Hobbit:  An Unexpected Journey" (or read the book "The Hobbit") then you know it is a town of goblins (natch) located in (or under, if you prefer) "The Misty Mountains".  In LotRO, it is a massive, maze-like area, with several layers, that starts off completely masked by the "fog-of-war".  Fortunately, once you've explored an area, you lift the fog-of-war permanently...at least, as far as I know it's permanent.

Contest-ing

Ah, there is nothing like holding a contest.  If you never have, just know that they can be...contested.

Settling in at the New Digs

As has been foretold mentioned, LotRO is currently in the middle of consolidating; closing several servers and leaving a total of (10) others up and operational.  Of the remaining servers, five are in the "US" region, and five are in the "EU" region, and never the twain shall speak.  (By that I mean that a toon currently in the EU region cannot transfer to a US server, and vice-versa.)

The List is In

...or is that "up".  In any case, the list of closing (and remaining open) servers for LotRO has been posted.

LotRO to Merge Servers

For some time now, there has been a plan at LotRO to merge some of the servers.  Way back at the beginning of the year (or so), Vyvyanne (yes, the very same, former DDO producer) announced in her "Producer's Letter" that there was a plan.  At that time, no details were given; but now, we have some details.

Unique LotRO Game Play: "Chicken-Man" Edition

I was browsing/lurking the LotRO Fora (sorry, "forums"), as I tend to do, when I learned something I had never heard of before.  Now, I've heard of the PvMP ("Player vs. Monster Player") mechanic, which is LotRO's version of PvP play, but this?  This is something I don't believe I've ever heard of in any game (though maybe something like it does exist somewhere else):  There is actually a chain of quests that you can play as...a chicken.

Lurkers, Unite

Recently, Frelorn (the LotRO Community Manager) released the names of the 2015 Player's Councils (PCs).  Yes, "councils" - plural.  It seems that LotRO has a dedicated PC for PvE and a dedicated PC for PvMP (that's, "Player vs. Monster Player" - LotRO's version of PvP).

LotRO Steed Giveaway

I have a couple of codes left over from...well, it doesn't really matter where they are left over from, does it?

Guilds of One

MMO - "Massively Multi-player Online".  The very name indicates that you are not alone in whatever game-world you choose to play in.  But just because there are (a lot of) other players, does that mean you are not allowed to play the game by yourself?

The Best Laid Plans

Between Christmas and New Years', I was on vacation.  I typically take that time of year off, for a couple of reasons.  Not the least of which is always having that week off from school (when I was attending, of course) - I got used to having it off, so I've just continued that tradition.

Fun and Potentially Annoying

Did you know that in LotRO Player-Characters (PCs) can play music?  In the game?  That can be heard by other PCs?  Yep.  All PCs can, by default, play lute and clarinet.  Minstrels can play all instruments and can also teach other instruments to non-minstrel PCs.  They can also make "manuals" that can be read by PCs to 'learn' other instruments, as well.